Falmouth Branch Line - stations, facilities, services and improvements - ongoing discussion, merged posts

[whole diary]

[Lee]

Further article link.
http://www.transportbriefing.co.uk/story.php?id=5256

[chrisoates]

Isn't the improve service only coming in next May when technically it should be fine by December?

I believe the signalling won't be installed for a while.

Lots of signalling conduit at Truro today heading towards Falmouth, also looks like something is happening between Hayle and Gwinear road....a section of bank has been cut out for 'something'.

[RailCornwall]

Update for Penryn,

The Southern extension of the Platform (Falmouth end) has been completed box wise. It needs 'filling' and the Passenger Deck added. Significant quantities of old ballast have been removed from the 'yard'. The most obscure thing is that the signalling and southerly points trunking has been located on the former up platform rather than the trackbed. Will check at Perranwell next week if the trunking has been cabled and lidded there. It does seem strange that they have gone to the expense of clearing this platform yet it won't be used for service.

 

[marky7890]

Here is a plan i found about 2 weeks ago of the diagram from Truro signal box, showing the loop at Penryn:

http://craig-munday.fotopic.net/p55709127.html, or here for a larger version: http://images3.fotopic.net/?iid=yws14q&outx=2048&quality=70

Mark

[chrisoates]

Here is a plan i found about 2 weeks ago of the diagram from Truro signal box, showing the loop at Penryn:

http://craig-munday.fotopic.net/p55709127.html, or here for a larger version: http://images3.fotopic.net/?iid=yws14q&outx=2048&quality=70

Mark

Wow !!..what a collection of pictures.
 

[RailCornwall]

I'm confused with the diagram.

Am I correct to assume that trains to Falmouth will pull into the northern end of the platform whilst trains to Truro will stop on the new southern extension? Once loading has completed the Truro bound service will pass the Falmouth one on the new 'outside' loop, then the Falmouth service will depart.

Or is it the other way around with Falmouth bound services taking the loop to pull into the southern end, after the Truro bound service has pulled into the northern end of the platform, which would seem to go against normal UK^▸ (United Kingdom) running?

[chrisoates]

I'm confused with the diagram.

Am I correct to assume that trains to Falmouth will pull into the northern end of the platform whilst trains to Truro will stop on the new southern extension? Once loading has completed the Truro bound service will pass the Falmouth one on the new 'outside' loop, then the Falmouth service will depart.

Or is it the other way around with Falmouth bound services taking the loop to pull into the southern end, after the Truro bound service has pulled into the northern end of the platform, which would seem to go against normal UK^▸ (United Kingdom) running?

I'm just a passenger...if they ever decide to run two cars both ways some reversing might be needed unless a footbridge is constructed.
With single cars it's difficult to see (from the diagram) how things will be managed.

I don't like the idea of skipping Perranwell stops either for the sake of a regular timetable - I often walk the Bissoe valley and get home via Perranwell.

Also single car running all year (again ) for the sake of a regular timetable - fridays when all the students are going home for the weekend, summer when Falmouth is a popular destination.

St Ives branch is 4 car in summer and rammed - I wonder if Falmouth's new deal will actually work ?
   

[bemmy]

From the diagram, clearly the loop is for down trains. So the Up train will arrive first and stop at the northern end of the platform, and can leave as soon as the down train reaches the loop. This does look odd as effectively trains will pass on the right, but it makes sense for up trains to arrive first because Penryn is nearer Falmouth than Truro, so there is more slack at that end of the line. Should the down train arrive first, it will have to wait in the loop till the up train has arrived.

I think it's worth missing Perranwell on alternate trips, to enable a half hourly service. An hourly service for Perranwell will still be an increase on the current frequency and will make it better served than many larger towns and villages.

But you are right chrisoakes that a single car train will be a nightmare at busy times. Maybe First's commanders up in Swindon can't get their heads round the idea that there is actually a commuter line in Cornwall, taking people to work and college rather than just to the seaside.

At the very least I hope the Penryn loop is long enough for two two-car trains. Then when First are surprised by the overcrowding they can approach Cornwall County Council and ask for a subsidy to run longer trains. 

[RailCornwall]

Thanks for the clarification. The loop is 400 metres long incidentally extending well to the North of the Station. because of the line running it's not possible to see the end of the loop from the platform as it disappears to the right as the track bends to cross the road leading directly from Penryn to Treliever roundabout around the University complex. I can see it possible to have two two car trains simultaneously on the extended platform, three could possibly, I'll check soon. As for eliminating Perranwell, shame, maybe a request stop service could be implemented on the non-stopping service without too much disturbance to the schedule.   

[vacman]

Bothe ends of the platform are being altered to accomodate 4 car trains, as for Perranwell unfortunately it is so little used that I really don't think skipping every other trip will be a problem, an hourly service will be an improvement on the current service! It will be a pain with a single car but i'm led to believe that the bid for the loop and services depended on it being budgeted on a shoestring, at least the loop is built now and we can campaign for longer trains in the future.

[willc]

This does look odd as effectively trains will pass on the right

But it's nothing new, as quite a few Scottish stations have had 'wrong' line working through their loops ever since the RETB^▸ (Radio Electronic Token Block) signalling schemes were installed in the 1980s, though there doesn't seem to be any hard and fast rule about this. The West Highland Line has some of these mixed in with stations where trains pass on the left.

[eightf48544]

Very interesting signalling this is the exact opposite the way the DB^» (Deutsche Bahn - German State Railway - about) single platform loops work.

In the DB system the Down loop would be the Up loop and signal 42 would be at the other end of the loop and reversed to protect the single line from points 41 and be designated 4X.


Thus a down train would draw up to signal 30 with points 27 set for the loop and the up train would draw into the platform controlled by signal 9. The Up  train then departs to enter the loop and rejoin the single line if signal 4X  is off.

Hence two trains facing each other in the platform.

Of course we can't do that because DB has the Indusi train stop which will stop a train spadding whereas we only have TPWS^▸ (Train Protection and Warning System).

Hence the  arrangement shown.

[winterbourne]

Hi there, I'm glad my photos of the diagram helped. I'll be signalling it from April - & cant wait  . I'm not sure of all the implications yet, but two trains will not be moving towards eachother for sure. I think a Falmouth bound train into the loop (which is actually the "main" route) will have to come to a stand before the Truro bound service can be signalled in. There is no over lap visible.

[TerminalJunkie]

[...]quite a few Scottish stations have had 'wrong' line working through their loops ever since the RETB^▸ (Radio Electronic Token Block) signalling schemes were installed in the 1980s, though there doesn't seem to be any hard and fast rule about this.

ISTR^▸ (I seem to recall/remember) reading somewhere that it was to ensure even wear of either the tracks or the wheels. I may be misremembering though, and it could have been wrong anyway.

[RailCornwall]

Small update ....

The infilling of the southern platform extension is now in progress. In addition the reconstruction of the Northern end of the existing platform that had been left to go into disrepair over the past decades has commenced.

Considerable tails of cabling are to be seen now on the trackbed. No signs of the new signalling yet.

Work is also being continued on the old North bound platform to tidy it up.